Pathways in!!!

The first posted entry is at the bottom of the blog so if you'd like to read about the progression of the project from the beginning, in chronological order, view the 5/2 post first.

August 6th & 7th were very productive for the project. Cloud cover made working outside all day way more tolerable than otherwise would have been the case. The promised 93 degree days did not happen, with temps hovering at a relatively cool 85. Even so, David & I were constantly wiping the sweat out of our eyes but one can only imagine how much worse it would have been with the sun beating down on us.

David shoveled, hauled & spread the crushed limestone while I laid down the weed guard for underneath.




When we first started this project, I put in a call for free mulch. One load was delivered right away but no response to additional requests, probably due to the lack of material. I had almost ordered a truck load, for $650, but decided to hold off until the end of the month. What a nice surprise when the freebie mulch truck pulled up with a fresh load of mango mulch.


Pathways in and ready to enjoy. Just a few bare spots that need to be filled in but for the most part, the back yard is DONE!!! That's a good thing because the social schedule is extremely full for the next few weeks so there will be no time for the yard.

Starting to fill in

Didn't do too much in July except let things grow. Three weeks of the month were spent in Minnesota so David worked diligently to make sure the irrigation system was up and running, to insure that enough water landed on the new plants. I was not too worried since Florida typically gets rain every afternoon in the summer. Thank goodness for the sprinkler system because there was almost no precipitation, during our first two week absence! There were a few plant casualties but nothing that can't be fixed with a few replantings. Sprinklers were adjusted then off again for another week.

The following pictures were taken on July 25, a couple of days before leaving for that last week.

The firebush in the upper right corner was one casualty. Half the plant died. Not sure why but believe that the sprinkler was beating it to death. David installed a different fixture and that seems to have worked.

The neighbor across the canal yelled over, "You can do MY yard!" I just may take her up on that offer. The more yards that are drought tolerant & no mow, the more resources can be conserved.
I'm hoping that the next posting will include the crushed limestone walkway material.
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Taking a well deserved break, David is waiting for me to join him on the dock to enjoy the incredible sunset.

Slowly getting there

The seawall plants (Blanket Flower, Dune Sunflower, Golden Creeper & Railroad Vine) are coming in nicely.


David put down edging for the pathway. The path will be made out of crushed limestone.

The north area is pretty dead with the exception of the few plants on either side. A Passion Vine & Milkweed have been completely defoliated by the caterpillars. Next time, I will have to remove them (the caterpillars) until the plants get better established.

Shade plants under the oak tree are Scarlet Sage, Corkystem Passion Vine & Wild Coffee. In the sun is Pentas & Porterweed.

Now there is Muhly Grass along the walkway.

Local wildlife

Went out today to spread some mulch and found a GIANT Iguana on our dock. I tried to spray it off with the hose but the thing seemed to enjoy the shower. It was incredibly hot and I suppose the fresh water felt and tasted divine. Speaking of which, the iguana then proceeded to eat some Railroad Vine, along with several Dune Sunflowers.
I came at it with the boat hook and it jumped into the canal, swimming to the next door neighbor's and climbing up on their dock.


Continued to work in the yard and noticed, after about 30 minutes, that the iguana was back, munching on the plants again. This time, I made contact and pushed it (the iguana) into the canal with the boat hook. This time, it swam across to the other side and on to another neighbor's dock.

More Stuff

Found a hammock at BJ's for half the price of the same one online. When the project is complete, the hammock will be supported by dock pilings but for now, it's on a stand.

The boat was a generous gift from my dad. Thanks Dad!

Also added some Adirondack chairs out on the dock. The chairs are made out of white plastic but look like wood. No rotting or re-painting, which is very appealing. Planted a Royal Poinciana next to the hammock, along with a Jacaranda, closer to the house.

Put in some plumbago shrubs on either side of the dock steps.

First Planting

Went to see the landscaper/nurseryman on 5/8 about the yard plan. He had not had a chance to do anything with it which was a little disappointing. My husband, David, and I were anxious to plant SOMETHING so we decided to start with the seawall area, which is 80 feet in length, and plant an area about 6 feet deep. After deciding on a direction, Martin was very helpful with the plant selection. Got the plants in on Mother's Day which made me very happy!

First row of plants, next to the seawall, is Golden Creeper.

The next row is alternating Dune Sunflower/Beach Daisy and Blanket Flower(Gaillardia), with a Railroad Vine at each end. The railroad vine is very aggressive and was advised to use them sparingly. The following are pictures of mature plants. Mine are not that big yet. Hopefully, by the end of summer...

Dune Sunflower/Beach Daisy

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Railroad Vine

In the beginning...

My dream house? Well not exactly, but it is a house and, thanks to a generous monetary gift from my father-in-law, its acquisition has allowed me to divorce myself from the headaches and drama of condo living. As Stewart Smalley once said, "It's easier to wear slippers than to carpet the world", so here we are in our comfortable, albeit distressed, house-slippers, embracing the remodel adventure.

The interior is now livable so on to the landscaping. A very fried lawn has afforded us the opportunity to redo the entire yard in native Florida plants, with no sod. At least that's the plan.

I took a class a couple of years ago, sponsored by the City of Cape Coral, on landscaping with native plants. Lots of great information was provided which included sources for free mulch. I called all the numbers and got an immediate response from Ken E Beal, who sent Ronny to deliver a truckload of mulch. More will be delivered as the material becomes available. This free mulch will be the first layer. I'm guessing the final layer will be a bit more asthetic and cost something.

Martin, from All Native, came out to look at the property & come up with some ideas. I am anxiously awaiting his plan, which he promised to reveal on Friday. Until then, I will remove most of the existing plants with the exception of an oak and three palm trees. One element I would like to include in the plan is a hammock area.